Laser Printers: An Overview

Laser printers offer great speed and reliability for demanding business and home users. At their best when put to work in a network setting, laser printers allow multiple users to take advantage of the high speeds and duplexing capabilities of the printer.

But how to weigh those advantages? We've got some tips on shopping for a laser printer if you're in the market for one this holiday season. And we've got a trio of recommendations for models that passed muster in our tests.

Two sides are better than one Printers that offer duplexing can print on both sides of the page--a useful feature for users who want to maximize speed and efficiency. And printing on both sides of a page ultimately saves you money on paper.

On a related note, laser printers cost less per page to print than their inkjet counterparts; they're also more environmentally friendly.

What to look for When judging a laser printer, there are two key factors you should focus on--speed and text quality. Macworld Lab includes both time trials and jury ratings in our laser printer reviews--make sure to look at both when deciding which model to buy.

A quality laser printer typically prints 10 pages in around 30 to 45 seconds. As for our jury tests of printing quality--which also include ratings on the quality of image and graphics output--a quality laser printer score a rating of "very good" or better in our text-quality test.

Ponder Postscript Postscript capability or emulation is an important ability to consider. Postscript is a print description language that enables laser printers to handle high-quality graphics alongside text. No longer an absolute necessity, Postscript printing is still important as it takes the load off your computer's CPU and allows the use of certain types of fonts.

InfoPrint 4247-X03 multiform printer

Reliable high-speed printing for demanding business environments.

Quick Tech Summary

• Print speeds (up to) 800 cps¹

• Multilingual 2x24 LCD display

• Remote management with virtual operator panel.

Our InfoPrint® 4247-X03 was made for demanding print environments. From the office to the warehouse, its industrial strength design puts professional reliability into every single print job. With a long lifecycle, low per-page costs, and worry-free operation, it gives you peace of mind laser printers can’t match.

Highlights

• Automatic forms loading and thickness adjustment

• Supports printing on a wide range of media types.

• Remote Printer Management Utility, included with the optional Ethernet controller, gives users visibility to real-time printer status for every printer on the network.

• All-points-addressable graphics capability enables quality printing of bar codes, logos, overlays and more.

• Optional Ethernet card supports IPDS and SNMP for the migration of legacy attachments

• Pedestal, cabinet or desktop configurations are available.

• Optional dual front paper paths and heavy-duty 6-pin tractors for easy forms loading

IBM Infoprint Color 1634

IBM Infoprint Color 1634

First-page-out-times as fast as 10.5 seconds for monochrome and 11 seconds for color, giving small and medium workgroups the ability to produce high quality output whenever it is needed. The Infoprint Color 1634 Series includes tools to help you control color print access, produce consistent print quality, and help keep confidential jobs secure. Add wireless networking support or an additional paper tray when you're ready to boost the performance of your investment. An optional duplex model, high yield use and return cartridges and an intuitive operator panel are all designed to improve user productivity while reducing the number of user interventions.

Description: Model ID 39V1776 / IBM Infoprint Color 1634 - Printer - colour - duplex - laser - Legal, A4 - 1200 dpi x 1200 dpi - up to 22 ppm (mono) / up to 20 ppm (colour) - capacity: 350 sheets - USB, 10/100Base-TX - Express / A powerful processor and 128 MB of memory produce.

HP Photosmart d7360 Inkjet Photo Printer

HP Photosmart d7360 Inkjet Photo Printer Q7058A#ABA, 4800 x 1200 DPI, 3.4" LCD Display

Innovative touch screen with large 3.4-inch display lets you simply view, edit and print photos without a PC. Unrivaled performance with world's fastest photo print speeds, 1 6 individual ink cartridges, HP Vivera Inks and automated photo tray.

Features: Innovative touch screen with 3.4-inch display. World's fastest photo speed1 and 6 individual inks. True-to-life, long-lasting photos and documents.

Specifications: Speed: Print speed, black (draft quality mode): Up to 32 ppm. Print speed, black (normal quality mode): Up to 7.8 ppm Print speed, black (best quality mode): Up to 2.1 ppm. Print speed, color (draft mode): Up to 31 ppm. Print speed, color (best quality mode): Up to 5.7 ppm. Print speed, color, 4 x 6 photo, draft mode: As fast as 12 sec. Print speed, color, 4 x 6 photo, normal mode: As fast as 21 sec. Print speed, color, 4 x 6 photo, best mode: As fast as 49 sec. Monthly volume (duty cycle): Up to 3000 pages. Print quality / technology: Print cartridges: Color: Black, cyan, magenta, yellow, light cyan, light magenta. Print technology: Technology: HP Thermal Inkjet. Print quality, black: Up to 1200 x 1200 dpi. Print quality, color: Up to 4800 x 1200 optimized dpi using 1200 x 1200 input dpi. Paper handling / media: Paper trays, std.: 2. Paper trays, max.: 1 plus automated 4 x 6 photo tray. Input capacity, std.: Up to 100 sheets. Input capacity, max.: Up to 100 sheets. Standard envelope capacity: Up to 10 envelopes. Output capacity, std.: Up to 50 sheets. Output capacity, max.: Up to 50 sheets. Duplex printing (printing on both sides of paper): Automatic (optional). Media sizes, std.: Letter, legal, executive, No 10 envelopes, index cards, 5 x 7-in photo, 4 x 6-in photo, 4 x 12-in panorama, 4 x 24-in panorama. Media sizes, custom: 3 x 5 to 8.5 x 24 in. Media types Paper (inkjet, photo, plain), envelopes, labels, cards (greeting, index), transparencies, iron-on transfers Memory / print languages: Memory, std.: 64 MB. Connectivity: Memory card compatibility: Secure Digital/MultiMediaCard, CompactFlash, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Duo, xD-Picture Card. Dimensions (w x d x h): 18.2 x 19.7 x 9.3 in.

Notes: (1) This product is sold only to end-users, commercial or public accounts. We do not sell this product to resellers.

Minimum System Requirements: PC: Any Intel Pentium II Celeron-compatible processor or higher; 128 MB RAM (Windows 98 SE, 2000, Me, XP Home, XP Professional); 256 MB or higher recommended for all operating systems; 425 MB available hard disk space; SVGA 800 x 600 monitor with 16-bit color; Windows 98 SE, 2000 (SP3 or higher), Me, XP Home, XP Professional; Internet Explorer 5.01 (SP2 or higher); CD-ROM drive; available USB port and USB cable for direct connection; Adobe Acrobat Reader 5 or higher recommended; Internet access recommended. Macintosh: Mac OS X v 10.3.9, v 10.4; G3 processor (G4 or higher recommended); 128 MB RAM (256 MB or higher recommended); 400 MB available hard disk space; available USB port and USB cable for direct connection; CD-ROM drive; SVGA 800 x 600 monitor with 16-bit color; Adobe Acrobat Reader 5 or higher recommended; HP Memories Disc Creator software (requires CD writer and 700 MB of additional hard disk space); QuickTime 5.0 or later; any Web browser; Internet access recommended.

References: | HP Company Website |

Limited Warranty: One year from invoice date with Directron.com. 30-Day money back from receiving date with 15% restocking fee for non-defective returns. No credit or refund after 30 days. Customer is responsible for returning defective products including DOA due to manufacturer unless testing is paid before shipping. (hyz112306)

Related Items: | HP Printers | InkJet Printers | Photo Printer | Multifunction Printers | Graphics & Publishing | Scanners | Printer, Serial, and USB Ports | Camera & Webcam | Accessories Printer |

Canon ImageClass MF6550 All-In-One Laser

Canon ImageClass MF6550 All-In-One Laser Multifunction Printer, Print / Copy / Scan / Fax, P/N: 0564B002AB.

The imageCLASS MF6550 copies and prints at up to 23 pages-per-minute for high-quality letter-size documents. Print resolution is at a crisp 1200 x 600 dpi quality, and comes equipped with 2-sided output capability. Paper handling for the MF6550 can come from either the 500-sheet front-loading paper cassette or the 100-sheet multipurpose tray. Use the multipurpose tray to accommodate a variety of sizes and types of paper stock such as bond, plain and color paper, transparencies, labels and envelopes for special projects. Stack letter or legal-size paper on both the cassette and multipurpose tray for a total capacity of 600 sheets.

Features: Fast 23 pages-per-minute laser output. Duplex versatility - two-sided copying, printing, faxing, and color scanning. 33.6 Kbps Super G3 fax with up to 256 pages of reception memory¹. 500-sheet cassette plus 100-sheet multipurpose tray. Legal-size platen and 50-sheet Automatic Document Feeder² Single Cartridge System. Scan in color up to 9600 dpi quality with 600 dpi optical resolution. USB 2.0 Hi-Speed³ for optimal performance.

Specifications: Printers Attributes: Printing Method: Monochrome Laser. Print Speed (up to): Up to 23 ppm (letter). Print Resolution (up to): 600 x 600 dpi; 1200 x 600 dpi quality. Ink Compatibility: Canon Cartridge 106 (Maximum Monthly Duty Cycle: 15,000). Buffer/Ram: 64MB (Shared). Paper Handling: Paper Handling text: 500-sheet cassette plus 100-sheet multipurpose tray / Additional 500-sheet cassette available. Output Tray Capacity: 100 sheets (face down). Copier: Mono Copy Resolution: 600 x 600 dpi, 1200 x 600 dpi quality. Copy Speed (up to): Up to 23 cpm (letter). Type: Laser-based Monochrome Digital Copier. Zoom: 50-200% in 1% increments. Halftones: 256 Levels. First Copy Time: Less than 8 seconds. Reductions Enlargement: 50%, 64%, 78% / 129%, 200%. Document Feeder: 50-sheet¹. Copy Size: Platen: Up to 8.5" x 14"; ADF: 3" x 5" to 8.5" x 14". Copy Feature: Duplex Copy/Bind Type: 1 to 2, 2 to 1, 2 to 2 / Book, Calendar. Scanner: Scanner Type: Color Contact Image Sensor (CIS). Max. Resolutions: 600 x 600 dpi (optical); 9600 x 9600 dpi (enhanced) TWAIN, WIA. Color Depth: 24-bit. Max. Document Size: Platen: Up to 8.5" x 14"; ADF: 3" x 5" to 8.5" x 14". JPEG, PDF, TIFF, BMP. FAX: Modem Speed: Up to 33.6 Kbps. Transmission Reception Memory: Up to 256 pages². Fax Resolution: Up to 406 x 391 dpi. Memory Capacity: Standard, Up to 1 Hour. Speed Dialing: 23 one-touch speed dials/100 coded dials. Receive Options: Fax Only Manual, Answering, DRPD, Fax/Tel Auto Switch. Fax Features: Remote RX, Polling (RX only), Delayed TX, Dual Access. Other Features Networking: Duplex Fax: Yes (transmission/reception). PC Fax: Yes (sending only). General Specifications: OS Compatibility: Windows 98, Me, 2000, XP, Server 2003, and Mac OS X 10.2.8 & up (print and PC faxing only). Standard Interface: USB 2.0 Hi-Speed³, Internal Ethernet (10/100 Base T). Software Included: Canon drivers for Windows. Power Consumption (approx.): 780W (Max), 5W (Energy Saver Mode). Dimension (W x D x H): 20.5"(W) x 17.3"(D) x 17.8"(H). Warranty: 3 year limited warranty with 1st year on-site service⁴.